Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 13

Venetian armchair from the 18th century

$7,186.44
£5,325.55
€6,000
CA$9,810.85
A$10,914.17
CHF 5,721.35
MX$133,368.54
NOK 72,854.21
SEK 68,582.16
DKK 45,683.47
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

This 18th-century Venetian armchair dates from the height of the Rococo period, with a carved wooden frame richly decorated with floral motifs and lion's paw legs. The tapestry with "chinoiseries" features oriental scenes, reflecting the exotic and refined taste of the time. Elegant and decorative, it embodies the opulence of Venetian aristocracy. Leg and foot typology Wavy front legs with lion's paw termination, a distinctive element of mid-eighteenth-century Venetian production. Structure and line of the backrest Shaped back with mixtilinear profile, typical of late Venetian Baroque taste. Carving motifs Hand-executed leaf pattern carvings and rocaille scrolls with excellent depth and movement. The eighteenth-century Venetian armchair: rococo elegance between form and carving At the heart of 18th-century Venetian decorative art, the armchair was not only a piece of furniture, but a true symbol of social prestige. Among the most sought-after by antique enthusiasts, 18th-century Venetian armchairs are distinguished by their flowing lines, sculptural richness, and quality craftsmanship. Structural features Eighteenth-century Venetian armchairs belonged to the Rococo taste, which favored wavy shapes, elegant asymmetries, and visual lightness. The contoured backrest, often high and undulating, accommodates the body with grace and grandeur. The finely carved curved armrests blend harmoniously with the seat structure. The front legs are almost always curly or lion's paw-like in movement, while the hind legs are slightly arched but simpler. The sinuous lines are accompanied by intense carving in plant motifs, scrolls, scrolls, and shells, all handcrafted by master cabinetmakers. Material and Techniques The most commonly used wood was walnut, prized for its strength and ability to return detailed carvings. Softer woods were also sometimes used in models intended for gilding or lacquering, especially in aristocratic residences or palaces overlooking the Grand Canal. Tenon-and-mortise construction without metal screws is typical of the period and still allows one to distinguish an original structure from a modern copy. Differences with other regional styles Compared with coeval Lombard or Piedmontese production, Venetian armchairs are more spectacular and theatrical, with a greater emphasis on sculptural decoration. French influence is present, but reinterpreted with typically Venetian flair, often as a function of the sumptuous local Baroque architecture. How to recognize an authentic specimen An experienced eye immediately notices: .the patina of the wood authentic, not redone .signs of wear and tear consistent with age .handmade construction, no modern screws .consistent style between structure and carving (no posthumous additions)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 43.31 in (110 cm)Width: 26.78 in (68 cm)Depth: 20.48 in (52 cm)Seat Height: 19.69 in (50 cm)
  • Style:
    Rococo (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Walnut,Hand-Carved
  • Place of Origin:
    Italy
  • Period:
    Mid-18th Century
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1750
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Vicenza, IT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU9729245844492

More From This Seller

View All
Italy, Tuscan center table or writing table from the XVIII century
Located in Vicenza, IT
This precious center table/desk in walnut root with maple wood inlay on a black background was made in Tuscany (Italy), around the mid-18th century. Its rectangular shape has a so-ca...
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Center Tables

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Italy, Tuscan center table or writing table from the XVIII century

Italy, Tuscan center table or writing table from the XVIII century

$5,868
Italian, venetian XVIII century console table in gilded wood
Located in Vicenza, IT
This console was made in the XVIII century in Venice, Italy, from carved and gilded wood. The recessed top is in pink marble. The console has a Louis XV style line, with a strongly s...
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Console Tables

Materials

Marble

Italian, venetian XVIII century console table in gilded wood

Italian, venetian XVIII century console table in gilded wood

$21,798
Italian Louis XVI bedside table or small sideboard, 1780
By Giuseppe Maggiolini
Located in Vicenza, IT
This refined bedside table/small sideboard was made in Lombardy (Italy) in the neoclassical period, towards the end of the 18th century. The wooden structure is veneered and decorate...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Night Stands

Materials

Marble

Italian Louis XVI bedside table or small sideboard, 1780

Italian Louis XVI bedside table or small sideboard, 1780

$15,570
Decorative lacquered and painted wooden panel from the 18th century, Venice.
Located in Vicenza, IT
This magnificent example of Venetian lacquer art dates back to the 18th century and represents the craftsmanship typical of the period. The tray, shaped and embellished with a comple...
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Decorative Art

Materials

Wood

Decorative lacquered and painted wooden panel from the 18th century, Venice.

Decorative lacquered and painted wooden panel from the 18th century, Venice.

$13,235
Italian Louis XVI center table in inlaid wood
Located in Vicenza, IT
Extraordinary wooden game table finely inlaid on the top, on the front, on the back and along all four truncated pyramidal legs. The top, also finely inlaid, opens concealing an int...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Game Tables

Materials

Wood

Italian Louis XVI center table in inlaid wood

Italian Louis XVI center table in inlaid wood

$29,943
Venetian dresser shaped on the front and sides, 18th century
Located in Vicenza, IT
Venetian chest of drawers with a contoured shape both on the front and on the sides, veneered in walnut and walnut root on both the front and on the sides and threaded in maple wood....
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Venetian dresser shaped on the front and sides, 18th century

Venetian dresser shaped on the front and sides, 18th century

$18,684

You May Also Like

Venetian Rococo Decorated Armchair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Venetian Rococo parcel gilt and paint decorated armchair, 18th century.
Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Rococo Armchairs

Materials

Paint

Venetian Rococo Decorated Armchair

Venetian Rococo Decorated Armchair

$13,500
18th c., Italian Rococo-style Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand-carved and gilded, Italian, open-arm, Rococo-style armchair with cabriole legs and elegant, serpentine arms. Top rail boasts a foliate relief carving.
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Rococo Armchairs

Materials

Cotton, Walnut

18th c., Italian Rococo-style Chair

18th c., Italian Rococo-style Chair

$8,200
Italian Armchair Rococo Style
Located in Vienna, AT
Painted black with richly cut decoration around padded and upholstered back tray hand embroidered fabric, turned legs under padded and upholstered seat. Made in Italy in about 1870
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Rococo Side Chairs

Materials

Hardwood

Italian Armchair Rococo Style

Italian Armchair Rococo Style

$1,190
Italian Venetian Armchair, 18th Century
Located in CH
18th century Italian Venetian carved walnut armchair.
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Rococo Armchairs

Materials

Wood

Italian Venetian Armchair, 18th Century

Italian Venetian Armchair, 18th Century

$3,500
18th century Venetian Rococo Armchair
Located in Troy, NY
A delicate armchair of typical form, with beautiful lines and proportions and delicately carved details. Ex Metropolitan Museum of Art. For an almost identical chair see: “Il Mobile ...
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Rococo Armchairs

Materials

Walnut

18th century Venetian Rococo Armchair

18th century Venetian Rococo Armchair

$7,500
19th Century Portuguese Chair
Located in Houston, TX
19th century Portuguese Rococo style mahogany chair featuring a scrolled crest on a double yolk back centering a shaped flat splat, scalloped seat rail ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Portuguese Rococo Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century Portuguese Chair

19th Century Portuguese Chair

$1,900